John was born and lived most of his life in North St.Louis.
He attended Nativity Catholic Church and School, St. Louis Unversity High School, Harris Teachers College, St. Louis University and Stanford.

When I met John in 1963, he was teaching third grade at Herzog Elementary School in Walnut Park (North St. Louis)

On Friday nights, he would meet his buddies, Marty, Jim, Jerry, Tom, Bobby and others at Shirley's Neighborhood Tavern drink beer and play pool, shuffleboard and just hang out with some of the local regulars.
The tune playing in the background is titled "Greenriver" and was one of the favorites on the jukebox there.

Floating Down the Old Green River

Half past four, Dan McGrore came knockin' on his wifey's door
She'd been waiting up all night -- waiting for him to go to bed.
Danny smiled, like a child, but his wife she grew very wild.
"Where have you been all night long?" she cried.
And this is what Danny replied:
[CHORUS]
I've been floating down that [POP!] Old Green River,
On the good Ship Rock and Rye.
But I floated too far — I got lost on the bar
There was I all alone, wishing that I was home.
The ship got wrecked with its captain and crew
And there was only one thing left to do —
So I had to drink that [POP!] Old Green River dry
To get back home to you-u-u-u-u-u-u